Screen Resolution Keeps Reverting on Reboot???

[sburtchin]

I am very new to Linux, so I hope this doesn't sound too ridiculus, but I need help setting my screen resolution.

On my SuSE 10.0 desktop I R-click, then pick 1280x1024 @78Hz, then click on the Accept button in the dialog that pops up, then OK. My screen resolution changes and all appears well and good. When I restart though, it's back to 1600x1200. I've gone through this at least six times.

I'm out of ideas. Please help - thanks.

[devils casper]

in SuSe Menu, select SuSe title, press 3 and press Enter key. SuSe will boot up in command line mode. log in as regular user and execute this

su
sax2 
exit

configure graphics and resolutions. execute 'startx' to check GUI.

[peteh]

In 'Control Centre' > 'Peripherals' > 'Display' make sure you've clicked 'Apply settings at KDE startup'.
That should correct it for you.

[the bassinvader]

You could open /etc/X11/xorg.conf in a txt editor and manually delete the "1600x1200" mode in each of the "screen" section subsections, obviously in runlevel 3 and as root.

SuSE will automatically use the highest possable mode it can.

[sburtchin]

Thank you devils_casper, peteh, and the bassinvader for the three different methods of doing this. I did the first two methods, and I see that the configuration file that SaX2 creates is what really matters, and that YaST is a frontend for many things including SaX2. It's nice to see what's going on behind the GUI. So then the reason R-click on the desktop as me wouldn't stick is because only root can make permanent changes? Or is the R-click method something entirely different not involving SaX2?

I would like to ask some more questions about setting screen resolutions if you don't mind. I found a formula for calculating maximum VRR. So for my Philips 201B I have 170MHz / (1920x1440) = 60Hz max, and 170MHz / (1600x1200) = 88Hz max, and 170MHz / (1280x1024) = 129Hz max. But in the SaX2 dialog I cannot explicitly set the VRR (I know that I can change the range), so how can I be sure it won't set a VRR that is too high? Would this always be obvious when clicking the Test button? There is no distortion at all, but there was also no way with the SaX2 controls to get the image to fill the whole screen (I have about 1/4 inch black all the way around). Is this normal? I'm pretty sure I can tweak this with the monitor's menu, but just asking.

Is it safe to use any color depth I want with any combination of resolution and VRR? Are there any cons to using 24 bit color? I'm set at 16 bits now. Is anything to be gained by using less bits?

[devils casper]

So then the reason R-click on the desktop as me wouldn't stick is because only root can make permanent changes? Or is the R-click method something entirely different not involving SaX2?

right click on desktop doesn't invoke sax2. it just re-set resolution and graphics settings for that particular user only.

I would like to ask some more questions about setting screen resolutions if you don't mind. I found a formula for calculating maximum VRR. So for my Philips 201B I have 170MHz / (1920x1440) = 60Hz max, and 170MHz / (1600x1200) = 88Hz max, and 170MHz / (1280x1024) = 129Hz max. But in the SaX2 dialog I cannot explicitly set the VRR (I know that I can change the range), so how can I be sure it won't set a VRR that is too high? Would this always be obvious when clicking the Test button? There is no distortion at all, but there was also no way with the SaX2 controls to get the image to fill the whole screen (I have about 1/4 inch black all the way around). Is this normal? I'm pretty sure I can tweak this with the monitor's menu, but just asking.

i would suggest you not to play with refresh rates. wrong refresh rates can damage your Monitor. check Monitor's Manual for supported HorizSync, VertiRefresh rates and Resolutions. select correct Resolution and Refresh Rates through 'sax2'. SuSe will configure rates within a range suitable for selected Resolutions.

there was also no way with the SaX2 controls to get the image to fill the whole screen (I have about 1/4 inch black all the way around). Is this normal? I

its not normal. if your Monitor is not listed in Monitors List, select Generic Monitor.

is it safe to use any color depth I want with any combination of resolution and VRR? Are there any cons to using 24 bit color? I'm set at 16 bits now. Is anything to be gained by using less bits?

as i suggested earlier, let suse configure VRR and Resolution combination. try both color depths and check which one suites your Monitor and Graphics Card.

[sburtchin]

right click on desktop doesn't invoke sax2. it just re-set resolution and graphics settings for that particular user only.

Apparently for only the current session for that user and nothing can be saved by this method, unless I am missing something?

check Monitor's Manual for supported HorizSync, VertiRefresh rates and Resolutions. select correct Resolution and Refresh Rates through 'sax2'. SuSe will configure rates within a range suitable for selected Resolutions.

I got it used for $10, so no manual, but spec sheet says HRR = 30-107KHz and VRR = 50-160Hz. SaX2 guessed the same. Originally SaX2 set my resolution at 1600x1200 @85Hz (the max bandwidth) and noticibly warmer than while running Windows. I reset to 1280x1024 and reset the range for VRR to 50-85Hz in SaX2 --- always safe to slow it down, right?

I'm not reading any complaints about Linux destroying monitors, so I trust that without my interference, SuSE will pick something safe (it seems to always picks the highest safe value). I presume (but don't know) that if I force it to use a slower VRR there would be less heat generated, and the monitor should last longer. I am comfortable at 75Hz.

its not normal. if your Monitor is not listed in Monitors List, select Generic Monitor.

With my new settings R-click on the desktop says the VRR is set to 83Hz --- not one of the "32 Factory Preset Modes" (I expected it would use 85Hz). Could this be why the image doesn't fill the screen? The spec sheet says it supports "16 User Definable Modes". Does this mean the "83Hz" can be one of these "User Defined Modes"? Does the monitor remember size, position and other settings for all 48 modes?

SaX2 did guess the correct mfgr. and model number for my monitor (Philips 201B), and these are selected in the monitor list.

try both color depths and check which one suites your Monitor and Graphics Card.

The card is an ATI Rage Pro AGP 2X. I think it and the monitor supports about any combination of resolutions and colors that can reasonably be displayed on a 20" screen. I was just wondering if using more color bits had anything at all to do with staying within the limits of the monitor, and if more color bits slows down the computer or has any other ill side affects.

[gogalthorp]

DId you try to adjust the size from the monitor controls. Maybe they are set wrong or being old may need some tweeking.